The present invention relates to a boiling water reactor (BWR), and to the steam separator used in this boiling water reactor and to the swirler assembly being included in the steam separator.
Generally, in a BWR, thermal energy is generated at a core, and due to the coolant (light water) is boiled. The steam generated at that time is supplied to a turbine. The steam rotates the turbine directly to cause power generation. In the reactor pressure vessel of this BWR, a core is disposed at the lower side, and a steam separator is disposed above the core. Two-phase flow including steam and water generated by the light water boiling in the core is introduced to the steam separator. The two-phase flow of steam and water is separated by the steam separator. High quality steam (proportion of steam mass flow rate to total mass flow rate) separated is supplied to the turbine. The BWR is described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-153118 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-183489.